The present invention relates to an axially split brake disk, including two brake bands that form a brake ring and are interconnected by ribs that form cooling channels. Arm-like or cup-shaped connecting elements extend from the inner periphery of the brake ring and serve for connection of the brake disk to an attachment member, such as a wheel hub, a hub that is secured to an axle or other shaft, etc.
The problem continuously arises of having to remove worn-out one-piece brake disks that are disposed on axles, and replacing them with new brake disks, ideally without having to back the wheels or drive gears off of the axle. Up to now, it was often customary to install the one-piece brake disks in a divided condition, or to use two-part brake disks right from the start, since the destruction of worn-out, one piece brake disks has a significant economic impact. However, the drawback with the heretofore known brake disks is that up to now no connection has been provided between the two brake disk halves that functions satisfactorily under all circumstances and that is also economical and technically practical.
Thus it has been tried, in general, to connect the two brake disks halves securely to one another with bolts that are disposed approximately tangentially in the brake ring (see German patent No. 22 28 738, Otto et al dated Jan. 3, 1974 and belonging to the assignee of the present invention). However, in so doing it was always necessary to provide special adapter pieces because during heating up and cooling off, the two halves shifted relative to one another during braking, both concentrically as well as radially. It was therefore proposed, in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 20 60 352, Gronemann dated Jun. 15, 1972 and belonging to the assignee of the present invention, to provide each brake disk half with only a single bolt on the hub, and a tangential bolt in the brake band, in order to permit sufficient play. However, this led to imbalances that prohibited the use of such a brake disk. It was also attempted (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 20 62 407, Zeuner et al dated July 13, 1972 and belonging to the assignee of the present invention) to effect the connection of the two brake disk halves and the securement on the hub with two tangential bolts in the brake band. This idea also could not be put into practice because the retainment in the hub was poor.
All of the heretofore known constructions have the drawback that they cannot be readily used with narrow brake bands.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid the drawbacks of the heretofore known constructions, and to assure, even with extremely narrow brake bands, that the applied braking forces are transmitted to the attachment member, such as a wheel hub or a hub that is pressed or bolted onto an axle. It is a further object of the present invention that the radial expansion of the brake disk in the brake ring portion be assured when the disk heats up.